Female Friend In Cockpit: Air India Acts Tough Again, Grounds 2 Pilots

New Delhi: The Air India management is sending out a stern message to its staff that indiscipline won’t be tolerated.

The airline has grounded two pilots for inviting a woman into the cockpit of a Delhi-Leh flight last week.

A cabin crew had complained against the pilot and co-pilot about an unauthorised female passenger entering the cockpit of the AI-445 flight.

“A female friend of AI-445 pilot entered the cockpit without following rules, both pilots have been grounded/off-roster by Air India,” ANI quoted a top Air India official as saying.

Similar action was taken recently against an Air India pilot for inviting his female friend into the cockpit on flight AI-915 from Dubai to Delhi.

A Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official said the regulator is aware of the latest incident and necessary action is being taken in accordance with rules.

“Air India has formed a committee for detailed investigation,” an official told news agency ANI.

Air India is yet to issue a statement yet.

“Landing at Leh airport is one of the toughest operations due to the high altitude mountainous terrain and sensitive too due to the presence of the country’s defence forces bases. Moreover, to operate in this terrain requires a very good health record due to insufficient oxygen levels and due to this only highly skilled pilots with good health record should be deployed for Leh operations,” aviation expert Vipul Saxena said.

DGCA in April suspended the licence of the Air India pilot who allowed a female friend into the cockpit on the Dubai-Delhi route on February 27, and also imposed a Rs 30-lakh fine on the airline for not taking prompt and effective action against the pilot.